does my bub have wind?

[mummybunny]

Riley is now 10 days old and seems very fidgety when i feed wont let me wrap him up to go to sleep while feeding and has been doing explosive poos since he was born the midwives said it was nothing he was just haveing a "growth spurt" wanting to feed and cuddle all the time but he never seems satisfied and always seems in pain.. does little Riley have wind and what can i do about it??

[RISA]

Hi,
Thanks for contacting our organisation, and congratulations on the birth of your little man!! So exciting, isn’t it!!  but also quite huge change in lifestyle that I don’t think you can ever be truly prepared for. I know I wasn’t anyway, as much as I thought I was!

It can b e hard to know what’s going on with our precious little bundles, and it can be very confusing because lots of people offer advice- half the time it is conflicting, which makes it all even more confusing.

Does he have any signs that you would consider would be reflux? Does he hiccup a lot, gulp or splutter, vomit or that kind of thing? It’s hard to figure out, but your instincts are obviously telling you that it doesn’t seem like it’s a growth spurt. I would recommend talking to your doctor about it all and letting them know of your concerns. Keep pursuing it until you do feel satisfied with what you are being told, and your bub seems more comfortable. If at some stage, the doctor does consider the problem to be reflux, then please feel free to contact our organisation for further information.

One of the things that come to mind is whether he has a bit of an intolerance to cows milk, or some other food. If you think it is possible he does, then I would discuss it with a doctor. You don’t say how you are feeding him, whether it is breast or bottle, but either way, its important to seek medical advise if you do want to consider taking cows milk or some other factor out of his diet (cows milk seems to be the most common with babies, but is not the only food that can be a problem). If you are breastfeeding, it can mean removing every trace of that food out of your own diet as it can go through breast milk.

Have you tried experimenting with positions as you feed him? Perhaps keeping him more upright as he feeds might help?

Does he suck his thumb or a dummy/pacifier? Sometimes sucking on either can help calm them as many seem to have a need to suck, and it can also help any wind pass if it’s there. It can help comfort bub and if they do have reflux, it can help them neutralise any of the acid.

Could it be that his gut is getting used to functioning since he has been born? He is very young still, so it’s possible it will all settle of its own accord. To be honest, I’m not sure about that, as my experience is with refluxers.

It can be so difficult working out what is best for your child, but all you can do is follow your instincts and continue to do what feels right. If you’re not comfortable with the answers you’ve been given, then keep asking questions until you find something that helps.

I hope that helps give you some ideas, and I hope it helps.

Glenda

[mummybunny]

Firstly thank you for your advise..
secondly yes he does hiccup a lot and gulps and splutters he doesnt so much spew but he does spit up little bits now and again...
Riley is actually being breast fed with a bottle now and again but i am thinking of just feeding him bottles from now on, and his dad is lactouse intolorant but not as much as what he was when he was a baby, when his dad was a baby he had to be fed formula and started solid meals at 4.5 -5 months old because he couldnt handle normal milk and breast milk could this be the problem here??
Also i have tried sitting him upright a little when feeding but he is quiet fidgety atm and kicks and throws his head around alot but once settled he holds his legs to his chest...
am i doing something wrong?
maybe i should be seeing the doctor??

[RISA]

Hi,
Please, the first thing I need to say, is please don’t feel like you are doing something wrong!!!! Caring for a child is hard, especially when there are problems- but just because there are problems, doesn’t mean it is your fault, or that you are doing anything wrong!! I know that lots of people will be giving you advice, and often that serves to make you feel less confident, and start to doubt yourself more (I know, cos I did it myself!!). It is a huge learning curve and the best thing you have on your side is your instincts.
You are concerned, so it is probably a great idea to see a doctor, to get their opinion.

Given that there is a family history of a food sensitivity in the immediate family, it is definitely a possibility that he also has a sensitivity. It seems to be becoming quite a common problem in society, and there are a lot of bubs with food sensitivities in our group too. Often it is the protein in the cow’s milk, rather than the lactose that is the problem, and it may be worth trialling taking cow’s milk out of your own diet, to see if that helps. Sometimes mums notice a huge difference when they do that, very quickly sometimes (though some inadvertently eat things they are trying to avoid). It is probably okay to try it for a few days, to take all traces of cows milk out of your diet, but if you want or need to do it longer than that, it really is best to seek medical guidance. It is too easy to get the diet wrong, especially as you are feeding for 2 people now, and it’s important to seek guidance from someone who knows how to replace those nutrients you are avoiding. They can also help you avoid all the hidden milk products as there are a lot of alternative names that are used (eg whey, casein, lactalbumin etc)

It is also possible it is reflux, which is something else to discuss with the doctor, as hiccupping, spluttering, gulping, fussiness can all be signs of reflux. It can be VERY difficult to work out what is going on, and sometimes it is a matter of trying a few things to try to work out what is going on. Sometimes the signs can be very vague, but you are doing a great job. You are realising that something isn’t quite right and you are looking for answers. You really can't ask any more of yourself!!! Good on you, and keep persevering if your instincts continue to tell you something’s wrong.

I hope that information helps
Glenda